Family of Vintage Car Enthusiasts Forced to Cancel Plans Due to Extreme Heat

Earlier this week, Dick Kraklow arrived in Minneapolis with his family, spanning three generations, along with several classic cars, in anticipation of the annual Minnesota Street Rod Association event dedicated to vintage vehicles. However, instead of showcasing their collection as planned on Saturday, Kraklow, along with his family, decided to load their cars back onto the trailer and head home to Wisconsin due to oppressive heat conditions affecting older attendees.

Mr. Kraklow, a 42-year-old welder from Muskego, Wisconsin, expressed their disappointment as he helped his uncle load a striking 1957 Ford Thunderbird. He noted that while they enjoy the event, the extreme temperatures were simply unbearable. As a dangerous heat wave swept through the Midwest and Central Plains, millions contended with soaring temperatures, with the heat index indicating dangerously high levels—hitting 101 degrees in Des Moines, 104 in Chicago, and peaking at 105 degrees in both St. Louis and Minneapolis, where the temperature itself reached a record-breaking 96 degrees for this date. In Omaha, conditions felt exceedingly hot, with temperatures in the shade reaching between 100 and 110 degrees.